Monday, April 10, 2006

Indiana or UMass?

Wondering in Wyoming writes in...

I've been accepted to two programs which I likeequally - same length, about the same funding, and they both have excellent faculty. I'm having a hellof time choosing between them (for fiction). Thetowns are different in terms of scenery, but both arebeautiful and have a charm of their own and offer the kinds of amenities (I think, I won't be able to visituntil after I make a decision because this is thebusiest season of the year at work).

The schools in question are Indiana University & TheUniversity of Massachusetts at Amherst (your old stomping grounds!).

In the book (which I have read cover-to-cover,thanks!) you rank Indiana in the top 5 and UMass inthe top 20, but you also give UMass a greatreview...so my question is:

-- What, in your mind, distinguishes Indiana from UMass (or, what qualities gave Indiana an edge overUMass during your evaluations?).

WiW, the things that distinguish Indiana from most programs are: 1. The funding. Everyone gets funding, 2. Their committment to a diverse student body. They have a number of fellowships for writers of color, and 3. Their website. You don't choose a program because they have a good webmaster. But, you do consider a program that has such a student-friendly outlook, featuring lots of information about their current students. When I visit this site I think: These guys understand the information that prospective students need. That's a real rarity in the MFA World.

And also, I like the faculty, it's a three year program, and it offers excellent teaching experience. As for UMass, my graduate program: They're terrific too. But the funding is not as high or equalized, though it's good. Teaching experience is there. It's a beautiful area of the country to live in. I really enjoyed my time there.

Overall, I just think that Indiana offers more, as a program, than most other programs, including UMass. My sense is you won't go wrong with either program, but Indiana wins by a nose. Best of luck with your decision. Let us know how it goes.

University of Massachusetts, Amherst officials are investigating the breach of a computer server in the university's University Health Services department. The breach by an unknown individual occurred April 11th. ---------------------Cindy

Recommended Links

MFA Handbook

The Creative Writing MFA Handbook: A Guide for Prospective Students, by Tom Kealey (with essays by Seth Abramson, Erika Dreifus, Adam Johnson, and Ed Schwarzschild) is available from Continuum Publishing. The Handbook offers an overview of the graduate writing experience, profiles and rankings of more than fifty creative writing programs, advice about the application process, and insight into making the best choice of programs. There is a comprehensive list of all graduate writing programs, both in and outside the United States, a list of helpful sources on and off-line, and interviews with teachers and students, including George Saunders, Aimee Bender, Geoffrey Wolff, and Tracy K. Smith.